How to evaluate applications an organization uses ?

Evaluating applications that your company uses can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it is important to ensure that your company is using the best applications to meet its needs. It is more complex for an organization or a division within the organization that sometimes uses as many as fifty or more applications. How to rate each application can be daunting for anyone in a large organization regardless of the industry it serves.

These applications can be ERP, word processors, spreadsheet, document creator, and in-house application where each application serves specific needs

Here are some steps that can help you evaluate the applications:

1. Define Evaluation Criteria: Start by defining what you want to evaluate in each application, such as functionality, reliability, scalability, security, and ease of use.

2. Identify Key Stakeholders: Identify key stakeholders in each department who use the applications and gather their feedback. This will help you to understand how the applications are being used, what problems they are solving, and what features they need.

3. Assess Current Performance: Evaluate the performance of each application based on the evaluation criteria. This can include measuring its performance, stability, and security, and tracking usage patterns to identify areas for improvement.

4. Gather Feedback from Users: Gather feedback from users on the applications’ usability, efficiency, and overall performance. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews.

5. Review Vendor Support: Review the level of support and resources provided by each vendor. This can include response times, training materials, and technical support.

6. Assess Future Needs: Assess the future needs of your company and how the applications will support them. This will help you to determine if the applications will meet your future needs, or if additional applications need to be added.

7. Create a Scorecard: Create a scorecard for each application, which summarizes the results of the evaluation. This scorecard can be used to compare the applications and make a decision on which applications are the best fit for your company.

8. Make a Decision: Based on the results of the evaluation, make a decision on which applications should be continued, upgraded, replaced, or discontinued.

By following these steps, you can effectively evaluate the 34 applications that your company uses and make informed decisions on which applications are the best fit for your company. Imon Rashid